Sgt. Rafael Peralta fell on a grenade during a 2004 assault in Iraq

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The case to give a fallen San Diego Marine a posthumous Medal of Honor has been closed.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Friday that he will not reopen a Medal of Honor nomination for Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who some say fell on a grenade to save his fellow troops.

Peralta died in 2004 when he was caught in crossfire during an assault in Fallujah, Iraq.

While he did posthumously receive the Navy Cross – the military’s second highest honor – he was denied the Medal of Honor because a previous Defense Secretary cited forensic evidence that suggests Peralta was not conscious when he smothered a grenade with his body.

However, a Pentagon statement Friday evening said that after familiarizing himself with the history of the case, Hagel decided the evidence does not meet the standard of proof required for a Medal of Honor, according to the Associated Press.